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Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to common questions about transitioning from Better Start and HCWA programs to the NDIS.

Frequently Asked Questions about transition from Better Start

What will happen to the HCWA/Better Start programs after 31 March 2021?

If you have a child with ongoing support needs, you should contact the NDIS National Call Centre (NCC) on 1800 800 110, which will be able to help you with information and support with accessing the NDIS. The NCC will help you find your local Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) Partner who will assist you in completing your access request.

Information on how to contact your ECEI Partner or the NDIA is also on the NDIS website at Offices and contacts in your area | NDIS.

What does the closure of HCWA/Better Start funding mean for my child?

Your child's HCWA or Better Start eligibility will now end when whichever of the below happens first:

  • your child turns seven; or
  • all funding has been spent; or
  • your child has an NDIS plan in place; or
  • 31 March 2021.

    It is important that you contact your local ECEI Partner or the National Call Centre (1800 800 110) or as soon as possible to discuss submitting an NDIS Access Request Form.

    Delays in asking for access to the NDIS may lead to a gap in support for your child.

    Can I use my HCWA or Better Start funding after 31 March 2021?

    No, the funding your child has through HCWA/Better Start will not be available after 31 March 2021.

    From 1 April 2021, all services you receive for your child will need to be accessed through the NDIS (if your child is eligible) or you will have to pay for it yourself.

    If your child is not eligible for the NDIS, you may be able to apply for Continuity of Support (see Q&As on Continuity of Support below).

    What are Early Childhood (EC) Partners and how can they help my child and family??

    Early Childhood Early Intervention (ECEI) Partners are the first point of contact for families/carers with a child aged under 7 years old who may have concerns about their child's development. ECEI Partners are part of the NDIS Early Childhood Early Intervention approach who cann assist you with accessing the NDIS as well as linking you to other mainstream and community supports that do not require NDIS funding.

    ECEI Partners know how to assess a child's needs and will help you work out the types of supports that might most help your child. They understand that every child's needs and circumstances are different, and they can connect you with supports in your area, offer short-term early intervention if needed, and can help you ask for NDIS access if your child needs longer-term intervention. If your child becomes an NDIS participant, the ECEI Partner will work with your family to develop an NDIS plan and be a contact for you for the duration of the plan.

    ECEI Partners are experienced in providing early childhood intervention and have strong local knowledge and understanding of the needs of children aged under 7 years old, and the needs of their families and carers.

    Further information about the NDIS ECEI approach is available at www.NDIS.gov.au/ecei.

    You can contact the NDIS National Call Centre (NCC) on 1800 800 110 for more information. The NCC will tell you who your local ECEI Partner is, and can help you to complete an access request.

    Why transition to the NDIS?

    The NDIS is a national insurence scheme that helps people with disability, including children, get the supports and services they need.

    For children under 7 years old, the NDIS provides the Early Childhood Early Intervention Approach to give families access to the support they need to reach the outcomes they want for their children. This may include an NDIS Plan with individual funded supports, as well as links to community and mainstream supports and services that can assist.

    HCWA or Better Start funding ends when your child has an approved NDIS plan in place.

    What evidence do I need about my child's disability to request access to the NDIS?

    You will need to provide evidence of your child's disability or developmental delay if you would like to make an NDIS Access Request for your child. Your local ECEI coordinator can assist you with this process and answer questions about what evidence will be appropriate for your child's access request.

    You will also be asked for information about the type of disability or developmental delay, how long the condition will last and how it impacts your child's day to day life.

    You can contact the NDIS National Call Centre (NCC) on 1800 800 110 for more information. The NCC will tell you who your local ECEI Partner is, and can help you to complete an access request.

    Both the access request form and additional supporting evidence form is accessable on the NDIS website at What is an Access Request Form? | NDIS

    When will my child's HCWA or Better Start funding stop if I don't apply for the NDIS?

    HCWA and Better Start funding will end on 31 March 2021. The cost of services you use will not be covered by HCWA or Better Start after that date.

    What does it mean if my child is not eligible for the NDIS?

    The NDIS will notify you of the outcome of your NDIS access request. If the decision is made that your child does not meet the access requirements for the NDIS, you can ask for a review of this decision and supply further documentation to support this.

    Receiving your access decision | NDIS

    Your ECEI coordinator can assist you in requesting a review of the decision and link you with an advocacy service if you feel this is a neccessary step.

    Once a child has an NDIS plan, can they still use the same service providers they did as a HCWA or Better Start client?

    This will depend on how the child's NDIS plan is managed.

    If the child's plan is managed by the NDIA, the service providers you have been accessing will need to be an NDIS Registered provider. Check with your child's current providers to see if they are registered with the NDIS.

    If you have chosen to self-manage or plan manage part or all of your child's NDIS plan, you can use the service provider of your choice, even if that provider is not registered with the NDIS.

    The difference in plan management options is explained here

    https://www.ndis.gov.au/participants/creating-your-plan/ways-manage-your-funding

    How will service providers manage HCWA/Better Start clients transitioning to the NDIS?

    As the child's parent/carer, you are responsible for telling service providers once your child has an approved NDIS plan in place and is, therefore, no longer able to use HCWA or Better Start funding.

    If you do not tell a provider that your child is no longer eligible for HCWA or Better Start, your provider may ask you to pay for the service.

    What if I want to use all of my child's HCWA or Better Start funding before transitioning to the NDIS?

    It takes time for a decision about your child's access to the NDIS to be processed. While you are waiting, you will still have access to your HCWA or Better Start funding until, whichever comes first, between:

    • your child turning 7 years old
    • all funding has been spent
    • 31 March 2021.

    You cannot choose to keep getting HCWA or Better Start funding instead of the NDIS.

    An Access Request for the NDIS is encouraged to be made ASAP. If you wait until you've used your HCWA/Better Start funding, there may be a gap in services for your child after 31 March 2021.

    What is Continuity of Support?

    Continuity of Support (CoS) helps clients of Commonwealth programs that are ending and not met access requirements for the NDIS. If your child is not eligible for the NDIS, they may be eligible for CoS from 1 April 2021.

    You will need to have evidence that your child is not eligible for the NDIS when you apply for CoS. That makes it important to complete the acess request process with the NDIS as soon as possible, and not wait until your HCWA or Better Start funding has been spent. If you do not have an answer from the NDIA by 1 April 2021, you will not have HCWA/Better Start funding and you will not be able to apply for CoS.

    Further information about CoS and how to apply will be available soon, and you will be able to apply from 1 April 2021.

    Will my child be eligible for Continuity of Support?

    If your child is not eligible for the NDIS, they may be eligible for the Government's Continuity of Support (CoS) arrangement from 1 April 2021.

    CoS is intended to support clients of existing Commonwealth programs to access similar supports and services to those under HCWA or Better Start.

      Contact the Department of Social Services' Early Intervention Helpdesk on 1800 778 581 or email early.intervention@dss.gov.au.

        What evidence do I need to apply for Continuity of Support?

        You will need to provide evidence from the NDIS that your child has not met the access requirements for the NDIS.

        Your child must be ineligible because of their functional capacity or residency not because you did not complete an Access Request Form or the form was not correct/without supporting evidence etc when submitted.

        Can I reapply for the NDIS if I receive Continuity of Support funding?

        Yes, you can reapply for the NDIS at any time and as many times as you feel in necessary. You must tell DSS as soon as your child has access to the NDIS, as they will no longer be able to receive Continuity of Support. Any CoS that is received after they become a participant in the NDIS may need to be repaid to DSS.

        Where can I find more information about the transition to NDIS?

        You can also contact the National Call Centre (NCC) on 1800 800 110 or the EC Partner in your area (details are available on the NDIS website at www.ndis.gov.au/ecei).

        You can call the DSS Early Intervention Helpdesk on 1800 778 581 or email early.intervention@dss.gov.au.